


Christmas at the Mills Manor.

by anotherouatwriter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:28:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27866114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherouatwriter/pseuds/anotherouatwriter
Summary: Emma didn’t have plans for the holidays and she was alright with that. Her boss, on the other hand, was not alright with Emma's decision and insisted on her coming with him to celebrate with his family.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 30
Kudos: 237
Collections: Swan Queen Advent Calendar Collection 2





	1. the one where Henry Mills tells her she’s the daughter he never had (even though he has two daughters)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the SQ advent team for organizing this! 
> 
> This story hasn't been betaed, I'm sorry for the mistakes.

The office is completely dark except for the light on Emma Swan’s cubicle. She is working late, again, on some acquisition deal her boss wanted to have done before their Christmas break. Empty coffee paper cups and candy wraps are piling next to her laptop and she would be disgusted if she would have the time to stop to stare at it. 

“Emma! Why are you still here?” a voice startles Emma, who almost chokes on the gummy bear she had just put in her mouth. She raises her head to see the person talking to her, even though she could recognize that voice anywhere.

Working with Henry and Cora Mills has been a great experience. Cora is a tough person and a workaholic, product of being a woman in a man’s world, but she was an exceptional mentor. And Henry, Henry is like the father everyone wants to have, but only two people were lucky enough. When she first started working, Emma was supposed to stay at Mills Co. for a few months but she had learned so much under the Mills that she had decided to stay for a longer period. 

“Mr. Mills, I thought you were already on your way home?” 

“I realised I had forgotten my laptop and had to come back,” he explains and sits on the chair that’s in front of Emma’s desk, “I’m glad I did, otherwise I wouldn’t have known you haven’t left work.” 

“I have nowhere to be,” Emma shrugs as if it would be nothing, “Plus, I haven’t finished what Mrs. Mills asked me to do,” the blonde adds pointing at her desktop.

“Work can wait until after the holidays.” he moves his hand in a dismissing manner “There has to be someone special in your life,” Mr. Mills comments, “What about that girl you were dating?” 

He must mean Lily, he saw her once, “We broke up almost a year ago, Sir,” she cheated on Emma on New Year’s Day, “And as you know, I have no family,” 

“Alright,” he gently slaps his thighs and stands up “Let’s get you home, you have a suitcase to pack.” 

“What?” 

“You are coming home with me,” 

“But —”

“Emma,” Mr. Mills sighs, “No one should be alone for the holidays. Plus, you know Cora and I love you. You’re like the daughter we never had,” 

“Except you have two daughters,” 

“And neither of them are like you,” 

Emma hums in agreement because she had met, briefly, Regina and Zelena Mills once a couple of years ago. And they were nothing like Emma Swan. If they’d be Dungeons & Dragons characters. Regina Mills was somewhere between lawful neutral and neutral evil. Zelena Mills, on the other hand, in the alignment chart, she was probably somewhere between good chaotic and neutral chaotic. 

“I’m pretty sure Regina hates me,” 

“Regina has only met you _once_ ,” Mr. Mills explains, “and at the time she was going through a rough patch. I think you’ll get along just fine. And you have to meet my grandson!” 

Henry Mills Jr., Regina’s son and the pride and joy of Henry and Cora Mills. 

“I won’t take no for an answer, you know,” 

“Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t.” Emma sighs, she hates to impose on people.

“Come on, Emma, you know we’d love to have you for the holidays,” her boss smiles at her, as if he’d be reading her thoughts “I’ll just camp outside your apartment and _then_ you’ll have to face Regina’s for keeping me in Portland.” 

And that is how Emma Swan ends up packing a couple of nice outfits and unpacking them in one of the numerous guest rooms at the Mifflin Manor in Storybrooke, Maine.   
  


❆


	2. the one where she realizes how small Regina is

There was something eerie about being the only person in Mifflin Manor. The silence was engulfing and you could hear every wood frame creaking and the wind making the glasses squeak. 

Henry and Cora had left a while ago, something about picking the perfect Christmas Tree for the living room. Emma had offered to help but Cora had insisted on Emma settling in before dinner. Plus, they had told her she’d pick up their grandchild on the way and he would help. 

As she’s climbing down the stairs her phone rings. The name “Ruby” appears on the screen and she doesn’t think twice about it before swiping to pickup.

“How is it going with Belle’s family?” 

“Horrible,” the screen goes on and she can barely see Ruby due the darkness. “They don’t know we are together, they don’t even know she’s lesbian!” 

“Well, she did tell us that her family is very conservative,” 

“Three years ago! She told us three years ago!” Emma can feel the frustration through the phone. “You know I came to ask her parents for permission to marry her and now I’m hiding in a closet! Do you know the irony about it?” 

Emma chuckles at the irony, it makes Ruby groan “Look, maybe it’s not that bad,” 

“How can it not be _that_ bad?”

“They’ll get to know you a Ruby Belle’s friend and see you’re not satan’s minion or whatever they think about us,” she explains as she sits on a step and leans her back against the railing. 

Ruby sighs “it’s not going to matter at the end of the day,” 

“No, it won’t. Ruby, Belle loves you. Just, giver her time. She did invite you to come with her,” 

“Fine. I guess I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.” Ruby huffs and even though Emma can’t see her properly she knows her friend just crosses her arms “where are you at? That look way fancier than your apartment,” 

“I’m in a little town, two hours outside of Portland ,” 

“Random. Does it have has to do with that hottie standing behind you?”

“There’s no one behind me,” Emma says as she turns around from where she’s sitting and suddenly she’s faced with the ‘hottie,” that Ruby was mentioning.

It’s Regina Mills. 

And she’s not just “hot”, she is _breathtakingly_ _beautiful_. Brown smooth hair, perfectly combed. Slightly tanned skin. Coffee colored eyes that are looking at her, studying her with a raised eyebrow. 

Emma jumps from the step where she had been sitting, “I’ll call you tomorrow, alright?” there’s comments about Santa’s naughty list and presents and dinner but Emma is hanging up and shoving her phone in her back pocket “Uh - I thought I was alone,” 

“I just arrived.” The brunette states, pointing at the two bags next to her, “You must be Emma Swan, mother said you’d come. I’m Regina Mills.” 

“We’ve met before,” Emma points out, it shouldn’t bother her that Regina doesn’t remember it but it kind of does. 

“I think I’d remember meeting _the_ Emma Swan my parents can’t seem to stop talking about,” she adds with a soft smile and tilts her head to the side. It makes Emma’s heart skip a bit. 

Emma wants to tell her that _she_ remembers meeting _the_ Regina Mills about five years ago when she came with Zelena to sign some papers. She had been star-strucked by Regina right away, even with a frowned face she looked magnificent. Then, she remembers Mr. Mills said she was going through some stuff and decides to drop the topic. 

It is only then when notices Regina is bending to pick up the two suitcases. 

“Please let me help you with that,” 

“You don’t need to,” 

“I want to,” Emma replies and takes two steps forward, “at least let me take one,” she adds and takes one of the two suitcases without waiting for a reply. Regina doesn’t fight her, though. “Uff, this is heavy! What did you bring? Rocks?”

The brunette laughs. It’s a rich sound and it makes Emma’s heart skip a beat. “Henry likes his books. Brings them with him everywhere,” 

“Maybe you should get him a kindle for Christmas,” Emma mutters, but by the little chuckle Regina lets out, she can tell the other woman heard. 

“I’m the second door to the left,” Regina comments as they reach the top floor. “You can leave the suitcases by the door, I’ve already troubled you enough,”

“It’s was no problem, really,” Emma replies “happy to help. Specially after I feel like I’m imposing by being here for a family holiday,” 

“My parents would have not invited you if they wouldn’t want you here,” Regina opens the door to her room, “especially daddy, he takes Christmas very seriously,” 

The room was probably Regina’s growing up. The walls are painted in beige and decorated with different equitation related things, from ribbons and trophies to horse pictures. Emma looks at the ribbons in awe. 

“You were good,” 

Regina shrugs, “I was alright,” she says “It was a long time ago, anyway, I’m out of practice,” 

“I’m sure riding is on your muscle memory,” 

The innuendo is lost to Emma but when she sees the smirk on Regina’s face she blushes. 

“I mean — like you know, riding a bike... you never really forget,” 

“Yes, I guess we never forget how to ride things,” the brunette comments just to rile Emma up.

It sounds innocent enough but Emma can hear a sensual undertone. Images of Regina riding _things_ start invading Emma’s mind and she tries her best to push them away. Regina’s eyes stay on her the whole time, and suddenly she feels too warm, Emma fidgets with the turtleneck of her sweater. 

The moment is broken when hear the front door open and suddenly the house is filled with cheer as a couple of voices filter from the lower floor. 

Emma clears her voice, not trusting her vocal cords, before she says “Should we join them?”

Regina smiles at her, “Yes,” her voice sounds a little raspy too, “Leaving my father and my son alone with the Christmas decorations is a recipe for disaster,” and just like that they are in save territory again. 

“I’m sensing there’s a story there,” 

“There is, maybe mother will tell it over dinner, she loves that story,” 

The tree is huge, Emma notices as her jaw hangs loosely. She can’t help but wonder how it fit through the entrance door. Regina chuckled at Emma’s expression. “They always pick the biggest one. Come on,” she pulls Emma’s hand to bring her towards where the rest of her family is. 

“Hey, I’m Henry,” the little child extends his hand at her. 

“I’m Emma,” she shakes his hand, “Your grandparents invited me to spend Christmas with your family. Is that ok?” 

“Where is your family?” and tilts his head in the same manner his mother had a few moments ago. 

“Um,” Emma looks at Henry Sr. for help, when he proves to be useless she decides to go for the truth, “I’m an orphan, I don’t have one.” 

“And orphan? like Batman?” 

Emma hears Regina reprimand Henry, as she chuckles, “Yes, like Batman. But I don’t have a butler,” 

“That’s sucks,” he shrugs, “you’re welcome to spend the holidays with us, then,” 

“Thank you,” Emma smiles at him

The blonde looks at the tree, the other three Mills had already placed some ornaments. She has never decorated a tree before. Most of foster families were either too cheap or didn’t celebrate Christmas. There was one family who celebrated and had a tree but didn’t let her help decorate it because it was a _family_ tradition to them. 

Emma looks around. Cora has disappeared into the kitchen. The two Henrys were digging into numerous boxes, pulling out only golden ornaments and muttering something that Emma could not hear. Her eyes move from them to the last Mills in the room: Regina. 

“So,” Emma walks towards her “Do I put them anywhere?” she asks unsure of it.

“Yes,” Regina answers, she’s on her tiptoes trying to place an angel on a higher branch, “In whatever empty place you find,” 

She chuckles at the sight, she knew Regina was shorter than she was, but seeing her trying to decorate the tree made her realize how tiny the brunette actually is. 

“Here,” Emma takes the angel from Regina’s hand, “let me help you,” she adds as she reaches from behind Regina. Her hand comes to rest on Regina’s hip for balance as her front presses against the brunette’s back. “Here’s ok?” Emma asks after she manages to place the ornament, and it’s just then when she realizes how close she is to Regina.

“Perfect,” Regina’s answer is barely a whisper. Then she cleans her throat and repeats, “it’s perfect.” 

Regina turns her head a little and their eyes lock before brown eyes drift to Emma’s lips and them again up to her eyes. For a moment everything around them stands still. 

That is, until a door is slammed closed and Zelena’s voice breaks the spell. 

❆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conversation with Ruby is loosely based on Happiest Season - which I haven’t watched but I saw the trailer.


	3. the one where Regina hides in a bush

Regina growls a little at her sister’s greeting and takes a step away from Emma, much to Emma’s appall.

“Zelena, if you go slamming doors and yelling in the house how am I supposed to tell Henry not to do it?” Regina almost whines when her sister steps into the room. 

“Hello, Regina! How are you? My trip was fine, thanks for asking,” Zelena removes her gloves and throws them carefully on a sofa, they are followed by her jacket “He knows I’m a bad example, don’t you, Hen-Hen?” 

The child giggles and runs towards his aunt, “Auntie Zee, you made it!” 

“Of course,” Zelena wraps her arms around him, “It takes more than a blizzard to stop me from spending Christmas with my favorite nephew,” she kisses his forehead and then hugs both her parents before turning around to face the blonde.

“I’m -,”

“Emma Swan, I know. We met five years ago,” Zelene interrupts “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” she adds with a slightly intimidating smile, “What are you doing here?” her eyes travel from Emma to Regina and then back to Emma.

“Your father invited her, she was going to spend the holidays working,” Cora explains. 

Zelena makes a face of disgust but makes no comment about it, instead she turns to the youngest Mills, “Anyway, who wants to go ice skating? I saw the lake was completely frozen,”

“You know that ice skating on a lake is extremely dangerous,” Regina comments.

“Temperature has been low for over a week now,” Zelena answers, “Nothing has ever happened, the locals know when the ice is thick enough. Common! We used to go there as children,” 

“Yes, mom! Common! You told me yesterday I needed to spend more time outside,” 

Turns out, convincing Regina didn’t take much, just Henry’s puppy eyes and Emma’s admission that she had never skated before. She, however, said she was not setting a foot on ice.

The lake was a few minutes away from the house. There were a couple of people on the ice already. From the distance Emma can see some of them are learning how to skate and some of them skate with ease, doing small jumps and tricks.

Henry and Zelena lead their group through the short trail. They are chatting about the Loch Ness Monster and how cool it would be if Storybrooke had a dinosaur resident. Cora and Henry Sr. are right behind them, commenting here and there about the nature and dinosaurs. 

Regina is walking next to Emma, both of them in silence. Their pace is slower than the rest of the group so they quickly fall behind.

Emma is taking the place in. It looks like a fairy tale and she kind of envies Regina and Zelena for having grown up in a place like this. There’s not much snow, but frost covers almost every surface, making the trees look as if they had been sparkled with white glitter. 

Suddenly she feels Regina jump away from her and mutter a “ _shit, shit, shit_ ,” 

The blonde turns around to look at the other woman. She notices Regina hiding behind a bush and can’t help to laugh at the other woman, “What are you doing?” 

“My ex is there,” she comments from her hideaway, “the one with the green jacket,” 

Emma’s sight travels from Regina to the group of people at the lake. She notices a man wearing a green jacket, his arm around a woman. 

“Ok-ay…?” Emma looks at Regina again, 

“I don’t want him to know I’m back in town,” 

Emma hums, “Too late, your parents are already talking to him,” 

“What?” Regina comes out of the bush looking outraged, at that time Henry points at them and waves his hands “How dare they?” she seethes. 

“I think they want you to come and say hi,” Emma winces when she notices Henry motioning them to come. 

“Please, don’t leave me,” Regina clutches Emma’s forearm as if her life depended on it. 

And Emma, who has always had a weakness for pretty women and a hero complex, just nods and walks next to the brunette. Regina’s hand is still clutching Emma’s forearm. 

Everything about Regina’s body language screams how stressed she is, so Emma just places a hand over Regina’s, leans until her nose makes contact with brunette hair and whispers a “Relax,” 

Regina gravitates towards Emma, her body following Emma’s word as if it would be a command. Her grip loosens a little and she’s happy to see that Emma’s hand is still over hers, caressing her knuckles. 

“There you are,” Henry comments when both of them reach the group, her eyes momentarily stop at their hands but quickly avert to the man in the green jacket, “We were telling Robin about how great is to have you both at home and how amazing Emma is,”

Regina looks a little bit lost, but Emma catches onto his plan right away, “Thank you, Mr. Mills, you’re pretty amazing too. But I wouldn’t expect anything else from Regina’s father.” she says and casually slides an arm around Regina’s waist and pulls her flushed against her body. “I’m Emma,” she extends her free hand towards Robin. 

“Robin,” he says. 

“Figured. Regina said once she used to date an average looking man with average body parts,” her eyes trail down Robin body and them up to his face again, “you fit the description just fine,” she shrugs. 

“I’ll have you know I’m -”

“How dare -,” 

“I don’t want to be rude,” Emma interrupts Robin and the woman he had his arm wrapped around, obviously not caring to be rude “But I don’t really care,” she turns to Regina, “Let’s go see what Henry and Zelena are up to? I know you get a little bit anxious when he’s with her and you can’t supervise what they are doing,”

Regina nods, “It was nice seeing you again, Robin, Marion.” 

Regina manages to walk a few steps away from them before bursting into laughter. 

“That was amazing! You were amazing,” Regina says cheerfully. “That average body comment really got to him,” 

Emma shrugs, “He seems like he swallowed a pine cone and is having troubles passing it out,” 

Emma has always been aware she is a funny person, she had paid part of her university tuition fee by doing stand up comedy but there’s something about making Regina laugh that makes her want to burst with pride. 

“So, what's the story with Robin then? Is he Henry’s father?” 

The laughter dies and Emma wants to slap herself “No. Henry’s father, Daniel, died in a car crash when Henry was still a baby,” she explains, “Robin was the person I started dating years after, after I decided to open myself to love. We went to high school together and both were living in Portland at the time.”

“So, what happened?” 

“After a while I started wondering why he was so reluctant to come to Storybrooke and he had business trips with the oddest schedules,” Regina tells her “So one day I decided to follow him. And he let me here. To his house. _Their_ house. Turns out he was married. He worked in Portland but wife and children lived here.” 

“Oh,” 

“Yes. Explaining the whole thing to Henry was hardest part… Why did Robin date me if he was married.” 

Emma clutches her fists, “What a dickhead. Did you tell her?” 

“Yes,” Regina looks to where Henry and Zelena are skating, “She blamed it on me, of course,” her voice cracks. 

“Hey, hey,” Emma grabs her by the elbow and turns Regina to the side so they could face each other, “You know that’s not true. The only one to blame is Robin.” 

“I know, it angers me that two years have passed and the things she said still hurt.” 

Emma catches the single tear that escapes from Regina’s eye. “I think it’s because deep inside you haven’t forgiven yourself,”

“For falling in love with Robin?” 

“For giving yourself a second chance to love after Daniel died,” silence stretches and Regina just looks in awe because how can a stranger understand her better than she understands herself. “Also, I just solved a mystery. I had been wondering why your father invited me. Now I know. To be your stand in plus one, bodyguard and ex-repellent,” 

It lightens the mood between them and they resume walking towards Henry and Zelene again. 

“Shut up,” Regina playfully swats Emma’s shoulder “I happen to know how much they appreciate and respect you,” 

“Which is exactly why I’m the best option to be your knight in shining armor,” 

“I’m going to enjoy seeing you eat ice,” Regina comments as they reach the shore and join Henry and Zelena. 

❆


	4. the one where Zelena boycotts the gingerbread house

Emma was strolling down the stairs when she heard voices coming out of the kitchen. She had been living with the Mills for three days and she was already growing accustomed to their family dynamics. The thought of going back to her lonely apartment back in Portland was starting to get really depressing. 

“Zelena, stay out of my kitchen!”

“One, why? And two, it’s not _your_ kitchen.” 

Silently, Emma enters the kitchen just to realize the kitchen countertop is covered in flour and Regina is wearing a frown and a dirty apron. 

“You poured flour everywhere and you are turning my gingerbread men into penises!”

“Well, men are dicks,” the redhead comments, and Emma chuckles.

“And you!” Regina points at her, “why are you taking her side?” 

Emma raises her hands in surrender, “I wasn’t even involved in the fight!” 

“But you encourage her!” 

“I laughed! It was a funny comment!!” 

“It’s not funny.” 

“It is kind of funny,” Emma shrugs as she takes one of the penis shaped cookies and takes a bite. “These are good,” she praises with her mouth full and goes to take a cookie from another batch. 

“I don’t see why you never let me help!” Zelena just ignores Emma and addresses Regina.

”You call these help?” Regina points at the cookies “they are supposed to be for Henry!”

Emma keeps on eating the cookies while looking at the other two women. Regina and Zelena are still arguing over the gingerbread penises. She smiles as she imagines them as children having a similar discussion.

“What are you eating?!” Regina swats the cookie from her hand, “They have peanuts!” she adds and opens Emma’s mouth and starts removing the pieces Emma has in the mouth. 

“That’s disgusting,” Zelena makes a face and exits the kitchen. “You two are disgusting,”

“What are you doing?” Emma manages to ask. Regina’s hand is still pressing on her cheeks, fingers keeping her mouth open, probably something she learnt from Henry’s early childhood years. 

“Didn’t you say you say you’re allergic to peanuts?” 

“Oh,” Emma blushes, “I did. I’m not allergic, I just don’t like peanuts so I made that up so people don’t push me to try food.” she explains a little bit ashamed of having caused a scene, “I’m sorry if I worried you,” 

“I would slap you right now if I wouldn’t be so relieved I didn’t kill you,” 

“Care about me so much?” Emma asks smugly. 

“More like, I don’t want to go to jail for murder,” 

Emma takes Regina’s fingers from her face and wraps her hands around Regina’s. “Thank you, I don’t have many people in my life who would have reacted with so much worry and care.” 

The confession makes Regina blush. They stay in comfortable silence for a while, Regina’s hand sandwiched between Emma’s, eyes connected. Then Regina clears her throat and takes a step back, “Will you help me with the cookies? Henry and I have a tradition, we make a gingerbread house and then we eat it on Christmas eve.” 

“Sure, I’ll help,” Emma nods and takes a step back too, “I can’t promise I won’t eat most of the mix, tho!”

“You’ll get sick,” 

“I’ve survived worse,”

Regina is bossy, Emma realizes soon enough. She’s even bossier than Cora at work, and Emma thought that was impossible. 

She orders Emma around and is surprised at the ease Emma just complies. There’s an undertone of domesticity in their actions that seems to go unnoticed by Emma but it makes Regina yearn for something she had once upon a time with Daniel and could see herself having with Emma.

How is it that this blonde stranger can warm her way into Regina’s heart in few days when most people spend years trying to get past her walls?

“This is a fun tradition,” Emma comments as they put the trays in the oven “I wish I would have done something like this while growing up,” 

“It’s never too late to start new traditions,” Regina answers, and brushes a hair strand behind her ear “You just need to find someone to make them with,” she adds casually, tasting the waters with Emma. 

“I guess,” the blonde answers. “It probably won’t be as fun if it’s not with you,” she says, then quickly adds: “and Zelena making penis shape gingerbread,” 

Regina groans, “Don’t remind me!” she places the tray that Zelena had modified in front of them, “What am I even supposed to do with this?” 

“Columns? Trees?”

“No.” she says with finality.

“Henry won’t even notice, he’s a child. Pure an innocent,” 

Regina is relocating the cookies from the tray to a place as she hums “And I rather it staying that way. I’ll have enough during his teenager years, I want to enjoy the time I have left before he turns into a hormonal adolescent,” 

“You’ve got a point, I guess I’ll sacrifice myself and eat them all before Henry sees them, then,” Emma proposed and Regina laughs. 

“How noble of you,” she pushes the batch towards Emma, “You’ll be helping with an extra batch then.”

It sounds like an order, but Emma finds out she doesn’t mind spending extra time with Regina.

The blonde smiles and replies “You got yourself a deal.” as she takes a penis shaped cookie and looks at it.

“What is it?” Regina asks confused. 

“Can we decorate them?” Emma raises her sight from the cookie and locks eyes with Regina. 

Green eyes spark, as a child’s eyes spark when the whole party is singing happy birthday to them and Regina can’t say no to that. 

She places in front of Emma the colored icing, candies and sprinkling sugar. 

“I have never done this, so don’t judge me,”

“It’s alright,” Regina answers softly, “you’ll get a hold of it,” she adds and starts decorating the cookies, Emma following her actions.   
  
The cookies end up looking pretty cool, Emma admits proudly to herself. Of course Regina’s look like a masterpiece and hers look like a 4 year old’s preschool drawing but all in all they look cute. She doesn’t eat them all, instead she places some in a box and decides she’ll send them to Ruby and Belle tomorrow. 

“I have a feeling Belle’s family will love them,” Emma comments when Regina sees her packing some cookies. 

“That’s your friend whose family doesn’t know she’s gay?” The brunette asks and Emma nods, remembering that Regina was there when Ruby called her few days ago and knows about them. Regina laughs, “They’re going to hate them, I love it.” 

❆


	5. the one where she gets something she always wanted

“Your son is a menace,” Emma says as soon as she enters the house, her hair is drenched and she has snow everywhere, “he even threw a snowball _inside_ my jacket!” the blonde comments, as if Regina wouldn’t had been spying on them.

It’s the day before Christmas and it had snowed throughout the night so Henry invited Emma to build a snowman. Little did she know _she_ was going to be the snowman. 

Regina chuckles from her place by the kitchen island, “we take no hostages in this house,” she comments while sipping coffee from her grinch mug. 

“Yes, I learned that lesson after playing monopoly with your sister and Henry yesterday,” they had bankrupt Emma in less than half an hour, “Is there any coffee left?” 

The brunette hums, “you also have hot chocolate on the stove,” she points at the kettle, “but, you should change before you catch a cold,” she adds as she stares at Emma’s pants and now-see through shirt, eyes lingering a little longer where the shirt sticked to Emma’s abs.

“But my room is so far awaaaayyy,” the other woman whines as she’s pouring hot chocolate in a santa mug.

Regina smiles at the childish behavior. And returns to the home deco magazine she was pretending to read when Emma entered from the garden.

“I just folded some freshly washed my old shirts, sweater and sweatpants, you can change into something of that,” the points at the pile of clothing that is neatly folded on the kitchen table. 

She had been cleaning her closet that morning was had decided on donating some of the things she didn’t wear anymore to the local shelter.

Emma chooses the black sweatpants and one of those ugly Christmas sweaters that has a reindeer pattern. She changes clothes in the laundry room and after figuring the mechanism, she puts her clothes to dry and hangs her jacket close to the heater to dry off. 

The clothes are a little loose but they are so comfortable that she doesn’t mind a bit. She sniffs the sweater unconsciously, the softener smells like Regina and it makes her feel at home. 

She doesn’t realize that the sweater reads “don we now our gay apparel, fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la,” until she already has it on. The text is in white except the ‘las’ that are in the colors of the pride flag. She shrugs. She thinks it’s actually kind of funny.

Henry is also in the kitchen when she reenters, he is wearing a Santa hat and stole the mug where Emma had poured hot chocolate minutes ago. The little shit.

The kid is explaining to his mother how he annihilated Emma during their snowball fight and Regina is listening to him, her hands wrapped around her mug, as if he’s explaining her the most important thing in the world.

Emma studies fondly them from the door, they were strangers until a few days ago and now she had a special part of her heart reserved for them. She tries to memorize every detail of the scene in front of her, she wishes she could have this forever. 

“There you are!” Henry is the first one who notices her, “I was telling mom what an easy target you are,” 

Emma sticks her tongue out at him “I was going easy on you,” she then looks at Regina, who is studying her sweater. “Um, if it’s inappropriate I can take it off,” 

“What? No!” Regina’s eyes snap back to her, “I’m just wondering how can someone look good in that atrocity.” 

“I look good on most things,” Emma answers and starts walking towards her. 

“Learn this, Henry,” Regina turns to her son “No one likes a cocky pers - .” 

At the same time, Emma leans behind Regina’s chair and whispers in her ear “But I look better with nothing on,” the brunette blushes, her mind going to places it shouldn’t go, specially when her son is sitting in front of her curious about what Emma has told her.

Emma seems to be aware of the impact her words had on Regina’s thoughts because she doesn’t move away. In fact, she places her hand on the back of the chair and leans even closer. Regina turns her head to face Emma and they are so close that Emma can see how Regina’s pupils are dilated. 

“Mom,” Henry brings them back to reality, they turn to face him but don’t spring apart “I like Emma. Can we still hang out with her once we return to Portland?” 

“That’s up to Emma, dear,” 

“Can we, Emma?” 

“Yes, of course.” Emma smiles at the boy, “Who else is going to beat me in Mario Kart?”

“Yey!” he yells and jumps from his chair to hug Emma. “I’ve got to tell grandpa!” he adds before running off calling Henry Sr. 

“He likes you,” Regina comments as they watch the kitchen door swing back and forth. With Henry as their buffer the tension is palpable.

“I like him, too,” Emma says, “Although I didn’t say yes only because I like him.” 

“Oh,” 

“I happen to be fond of his mother, too,” Emma admits in a bold move. “Look, mistletoe!” she adds, pointing at a hanging plant, to lighten the move after her confession.

Regina looks up and laughs, “That’s not mistletoe,” 

“It is!” Emma insists

“It’s peppermint,” Regina stands up and reaches the hanging plant to pluck a leaf and brings it up to Emma’s nose, “But, if you wanted to kiss me you just had to say so.”

They are standing close, their bodies almost touching now, “Can I? I mean, may I?” 

Regina smiles but instead of answering, she presses her lips against Emma. The kiss is sweet and gentle at first, but when Regina bites on Emma’s lower lip and presses her leg between Emma’s legs, it makes Emma dig her nails on Regina’s hips and presses her against the kitchen counter. 

Regina snakes her hands around Emma’s neck and pulls her impossibly close. They break the kiss when they hear someone running down the stairs, probably Henry, but don’t pull away.

“Best Christmas present ever,” she rests her forehead against Regina’s, she’s thinking hard on bringing her breathing back to normal. 

“Oh, Emma. You haven’t seen half of your present,” Regina slides her hands from Emma’s neck to her chest. 

The blonde moans, “You really expect me to survive Christmas Eve dinner now?”

“You need to behave tonight if you want to be in Santa’s list,” the brunette answers “I can assure you, that after tonight you’ll never make it to the nice list again.” 

“You’re evil.” 

Regina shrugs “we take no hostages in this house,” before pecking Emma’s lips and stepping away. 

  
So, maybe coming home with Mr. Mills wasn’t such a bad idea after all. 

❆


End file.
